Say Hello to My Little Friend:Flax

Meet my friend, Flax seed.

I cannot say enough good things about flax seed. This is all going to be TMI, but it is necessary. If you have known me for more than 5 min you know I have stomach issues. Name the issue and I probably experience it to some degree at least a few times a week. The doctor actually called my stomach situation “interesting” and “unusual” – wtf I know it’s interesting and unusual and that’s why I am paying to see you and to receive your help, not to reiterate things I already know. Anyways, flax seed is the only thing on God’s green Earth that has any effect on my body. You don’t have to take my word for it;  see my little friend’s benefits below:

According to Flax health.com –

1. Flax fights cholesterol

2. Flax fights diabetes

3. (This one is my favorite!) Flax fights constipation and staying regular keeps you lookin’ good.

4. Flax fights cancer

5. Flax fights inflammation

6. Flax fights menopausal symptoms (OK – so most of us won’t be needing this benefit for a while, but hey – now we know for the future.)

7. Flax fights heart disease

8. Flax and the immune system

9. (The second most surprising one) Flax fights the Blues  -  Preliminary research suggests that eating a diet rich in flax could slash your risk of ever feeling down in the dumps

10. Flax helps reduce weight and keep weight under control  - boosts your metabolism and helps keep you satisfied.

11. (So surprising it’s not even funny, but tempting to try just out of curiosity!!) Drum roll please….

courtesy of

Flax can be used to make homemade lube – SAYYY WHAT?! I stumbled upon this blog while conducting my research and thought this was just awesome. This is a new level of DIY! Check out the Herbwife's kitchen - it's full of all kinds of fun tid bits.

And now, a little Q & A

Ground, whole or in oil form?

Ground  wins the battle – Ground is better than whole and oil because it is easiest for your body to digest and contains the most fiber, Omega-3s and lignans.

The other way to put Flax "in" you, lol...How do I consume it?

Flax seed doesn’t really have a taste  - so go crazy. I add 2 tablespoons into my morning juice and drink it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, which helps me use the little girls room. More creative ways include flax seed in your diet:

- add it to your smoothies

- combine flax seed with bread crumbs and batter your chicken or fish in it

- sprinkle over your salad for a bit of a crunch

 If you feel like baking try this recipe for peanut butter, banana and flax muffins (and give me a call!) -  they sound scrumptious!

Seriously, just consume it on a daily basis. If you skip days and are inconsistent, you won’t get the full benefits.

Things that I am diggin’ right now:

1. Combat boots – specifically these!

2. Boyish watches with large faces  - my dad bought me an Anne Klien watch that looks very similar to a Michael Khors one I really wanted. Mine was half the price YAY.



My Birthday Gift!! Micheal Khors Inspiration below:



3. Shark week

4. Stairmaster Mill – it’s like a step master but much more hardcore. I am currently trying to get into serious shape and this is great machine. Try it - it will kick your ass (in a good way)!

5. Bacon on a stick! I went camping and rotisserie-style cooked bacon on a stick and it was OH SO GOOD!

6. Vodka Tonics with lemon – nothing like it on a hot, sticky Florida day

7. “Trust falls” – check em out on youtube

8. Investing your money – I am still trying to figure out how I will personally be investing, but I did start by opening up a high-interest online saving account for my emergency money that I can’t touch unless my entire family dies and my car/ home go up in flames and I am only left with the clothes on my back (I surely hope this never occurs by the way)

9. My real human hair extensions – got ‘em from Sally Beauty. Works for me because the last time I got a haircut, the bia chopped off all my hard earned hair - months of growing out my hair SO if you ain’t got it, fake it (at least until my hair grows back out)!

 

Things displeasing me lately:

1. Hit and runs – I witnessed one in downtown Fort Lauderdale and it made me super angry. Someone’s Land Rover is now dented and some bitch isn’t taking responsibility for her actions.

2.Women who breast feed in public and spray people with their breast milk – lol watch this video

3.People who steal from other people – my roommate had people over and someone stole ALL of my jewelry. Where are your morals? Steal from corporations or huge companies, but not people for Pete’s sake! They have plenty of money and they won’t miss it.

Things some people think are a big deal but I don’t:

1. Urinating outside if you are a female - hey, when u gotta go, you gotta go!

I may or may not have been marking my territory out there...

2. Using nannies (not replacing them as a mother figure, but using them for help)

3. Gambling – everything in moderation my friends.

4. Not owning a TV. I do not have one. If I need to know something, I look online. I read. I ask people. I watch other human’s TVs.

 That'll be all.

In My Country, We Say "Sounds Good" {Spoken in an Italian Accent}

Ah  Venice. The title to this blog is dedicated to one of the Italian contractors that work with Allin (my company) named Andrea. He is super funny despite the fact he doesnt speak a lick of English. He is in the white shirt below.

I started out my day at 6 am. I went for a nice jog around Mestre, which is where my hotel is, approximately 15 min away from the main city center. We had no power in the computer room and no power mean no connection, hence no work! Lucky me. I don’t get a day off so it was refreshing to leave and ge to explore, which is what I live for. I spent the afternoon in Venice, which proved to be a cute city, even with the hoards of people speaking all different languages, taking up space and breathing me oxygen, and dragging their luggage around being slow ( Why am I so impatient?). I would have liked to see more of the “real” Venice, where people are simply going about their day and having coffee on their balconies, but I only caught a glimpse.

Venice wasn’t necessarily disappointing, but it is nothing special, in my opinion. What draws tourist to the city is also its downfall. There were TOO many people and TOO many boats. One thing that would be cool to do is rent a kayak. I would have done this on my own, but after extensive research, I have found that because of the Italian bureaucracy and the booming gondola biz (it’s quite expensive. We are talking 80 Euro min for a ride), you can only purchase a kayaking tour for 120 Euros.

I have no idea what the nightlife is like, but there is plenty of shopping, pizza, and gelato to go around for daytime fun.  Speaking of shopping, I couldn’t help myself – I bought a ring made of blown glass, which ones just one of many items made of that material. Among the usual postcards, t-shirts, and such, there were many interesting masks and pieces of art that were readily available.

I went into anything I could, but seeing as how it was Sunday, some of the attractions were closed –the Davincci Museum being one of them. I visited a few churches and one cathedral in particular just blew my mind. I went inside to admire the décor and architecture / contemplate my sins, so I sat down at a pew. I began trying to imagine what used to happen there , how different religion is today versus then, and how intricate the ceremonies used to be when all of the sudden I started crying. Why? I am not sure – something about that place made me overwhelmed so I had to make myself leave to compose myself. I have never experienced something like that and it weirded me out because I didn't know what was wrong with me.

I went for a little stroll in the park, got hit on hardcore by a gross man  and quickly exited. The park was full of canoodeling couples, fat, content pigeons, and gypsies (By the way, all of the above annoys me - lovers stop the PDA. Pigeons stop crapping on humans. Gypsies, please stay away...you smell).

A few days ago we went to a bar/ restaurant called Coopers and drank a shuttle of beer. No lie . It is larger than a beer tower and the alcohol content is 9 percent. I did not have a good morning at the office the next day.

 In the coming weeks I suspect I will be working my ass off and this was my one and only day off, so I will try to savor it. I am currrently drinking wine and going to downstairs to eat veal...later....

Memorial Day Weekend - A Much Needed Rest

I really need to learn to sit down at designated times to update this blog..entries once a month aint going to cut it.

I figured I would share a few things I did over my Memorial Day weekend, since I was very active and had a blast.Thanks to all of those American soldiers who make it possbile...

One of my good friends came to visit from Milwaukee, so naturally we had to take him to a very Floridan meal of crab. The best part about the meal is becoming animalistic - eating with your hands, butter and juicy goodness dripping, and then if your happy and you know it, you BANG your mallet on the table. The whole look is complete with a giant bib and believe me, you need it!

Mangos, mangos everywhere! Mango smoothy for breakfast, mango in your fruit salad for lunch, tacos with mango salsa for dinner. My mango tree is in full force. I would give out my address so that you can taste one of the delicious mangos for yourself, but that would be opening myself up for stalkers.

I live with this fellow, named Bret, and one other female. We have collectively decided that every Tuesday is officially Tequilla Tuesday and Bret has to wear this poncho, which he loves.

My little monkey friend. Not really, he is not as cool as Abu from Aladdin. This lilttle guy wouldnt shake your hand unless you gave him a dollar.

Took advantage of the beautiful Florida outdoors this weekend. I went kayaking, bike riding, and on an airboat ride through the Everglades. I didn't get to see any gators out there, but I was surprised to find that the "sawgrass" will indeed cut you!

Ahhh...so relaxing. Everything is better at the beach. The waves were calm, the beer was cold, and the thongs were out. Lots of people flocked to bank in the sun this weekend. My only complaint was the cost of parking - I'd say I paid about $20- $30 for parking in a matter of 3 days.

Do me a favor, if you have a boat and live in South Florida please call me. Let's be friends! This picture was taken from South Intlet Park in Boca Raton on Memorial Day when I was on a bike ride. Such a beautiful place!

This week I have bee getting ready for yet another trip to Italy. This time I will be gone for a whole month, but I will be a hop and skip away from Venice, which I expect to explore. Be on the lookout for that!

Until next time and hopefully that wont be next month...

Practical Advice - Traveling for Rookies

I used to be a rookie – I hadn’t taken a flight or ridden a train in over 5 years. Then BAM, my job took over and all I do (it seems like) is travel from place to place. The good news is that now I know which airports have the most obnoxious customs, the best food, the most exasperating layouts, the most inexpensive souvenirs...

Atlanta’s International Airport DOES suck, Munich (MUC) has great beer and crepes, and Milan’s train station is huge, like an airport and the likelihood of a pigeon crapping on your head is 60/40 them (see the dirty rascal above).

1) When flights say that you need to be in the boarding area 30 min before departure for domestic flights and 1 hour before departure for international, they are not joking. Even if you are about to piss your pants or are starving, find your gate first and verify that it is correct and when boarding begins. It has happened to me one too many times that I thought I was in the clear and went to pee or have a quick drink only to find out that a) they had been calling my name over the loud speaker - I of course didn’t hear a thing and they were pissed b) the gate was actually way father than anticipated and instead of a two min walk it was more like a trek c) I actually missed the flight, but wouldn’t have missed it had I not stopped to tie my shoe. 

- You can save a lot of time and hassle by just having a carry on. Beware: if the flight is too full they may check your bag anyways, but the good news is that you will not be charged.

- Save time by printing out your boarding pass and checking in online. If you have a smart phone, you can get the rewards or points card/ barcode your flights on there and simply scan it at the airport. If you already went on the flight (even if it is international partner) you can either fax in your ticket to get the miles applied or mail it in. Contact customer service to see what you can get because a lot of airlines are have merged and are partners and you may not even be aware of it.

- Speaking of international travel, you should think about applying for a credit card such as Capital One Venture card, which has no international fees. International fees can really add up, so this is a huge help and there is no fee to have the credit card for your first year + you earn rewards - I love rewards!

-Do not get water or fill up your water bottle until AFTER the security point – duh. I see people chugging water and it holds up the line. Why do people insist on wearing their watch, belt, shoes with lots of laces, coins, etc. you are going through security – is this baby’s first time or what?

-Wear slip-ons, sneakers, etc. but wear shoes! They make you take sandals off and it’s just gross to have to be barefoot in the airport. No wine openers – I have been a victim of losing a few, because for some reason I carry one around with me.

- Wear layers. Running around in the airport makes you extremely hot then mid-flight it’s arctic. I recommend wearing comfortable clothes with a cardigan or sweater and a scarf. The scarf can also double as a travel pillow on the flight.

- For long flights I recommend a moist toilet to relieve you of the “dirty” feeling on the flight and a small bottle of lotion because flying makes you extremely dry. Drinking plenty of water also helps.

- Lines at the train station for information and tickets are always a 30 min wait so it’s a good idea to research online and look at train times before you get to the ticket office. Do not assume they will speak English, so be ready to give them train numbers, destinations, and be ready to make train connections/ switches on your own.

- When you have to leave your car at the airport and you use services such as “park N go” or “park N fly” check online for coupons. They also have reward programs, such as, pay for 10 nights get one free.

- Most nice hotels will have outlet adapters in case you forget yours.

I am sure I will have more advice soon, as I am set to go back to Italy June and July. Picture of me enjoying a nice meal from my last trip below:

Diner and vino on my last work project =)

A Guy Named Nathan

This is a random story.

I was at the Fort Lauderdale Airport on my way to Atlanta. I have this tradition where I get to the airport early enough to drink a beer (expensive beer to be exact usually about 7 bucks for a Bud) before a flight. I now feel if I don't follow the tradition, my plane might crash. Anyhow, I was enjoying my beer when a cute stranger started talking to me and it just so happened he had just come from backpacking in Colombia. He had been to multiple cities, taking in the sites, sounds, and tastes while exploring around and meeting new people. Seeing as how I am from Colombia and have never really been, I was intrigued. Not to mention, I also love exploring unknown lands, so this guy struck my fancy.  I talked to him for about 30 min and it was a very comfortable conversation despite having known him for all of two seconds. Nathan was a nice guy and I am glad I met him for two reasons:

1) It reminded me of where I come from and how I really need to get more in touch with my roots instead of making excuses about the fact I know little to nothing about Colombia and have made no plans to go visit. This guy went on his own, without knowing much Spanish and he had a blast. He just went for it. Why haven't I been there? New bullet on my bucket list.

2) I remembered that I am lucky to have the job that I have. Although there is not a lot going on in some of the cities I have to visit for work, this is something a lot of people would love to do. I get an all expense paid trip to Italy, and once I get my work done, I can stuff my face with cheese, carbs, and rich wines. I can't really think of anyone else I know that gets to do these things. I need to enjoy it now while I am single and without kids.

this is NOT Nathan but he looks cool too...

all for now. 

5 Things I wish I could blow my tax return on...

 1. Zebra Lovin' - The lovely table you see to your left. Cute and simple. I am going to attempt my own version of this look on some TV trays that I picked up this weekend from a yard sale (Seen on right)
I got a set of 4 (one is broken I will have to see
if I can give it some TLC and bring it back to life). But, I was thinking for colors: coral and white. Look: antiquated and weathered. ZigZags are in!! I am going to be busy in the next couple of weeks, so we'll see when I get around to this...

pic of table via Das le Townhouse
http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.com/ 

/

 2. Clock Work Orange - Look by Anthropology
Clocks+Random assortment+Indy look = LOVE
Not sure if it will flow with my ideas for my place, but still a very clever way to showcase some retro clocks that would otherwise never have a home. 














3.  Stick a Fork in it -Found at Pier 1 - you can't tell from this picture, but this is made of wood and it's about three or four feet tall, with what seems like contact paper on top and the fork is actually made with chalk paint! I once found a giant fork in a thrift store and my love affair with giant cutlery began. I have always had a soft spot for chalk paint; for some reason it's like a phenomenon to me.

4. Stay a while Coat Hanger - Urban Outfitters-It's practical and girlie without being too girlie and you don't see them too often these days.I just need one end of story.














 5. Bad to the Bone Leather Jacket-  iOffer.com (originally from Banana Republic) is an eBay type site check it out!

I live in South Florida, so this purchase would be a stretch but it's gorgeous and there is a cool breeze about one week a year down here. I wouldn't want to catch a cold, right?





Hope things went well for all of you this tax season! I just keep repeating to myself: Save Save Save...